Welding Fume Exposure and Health Risk Assessment in a Cohort of Apprentice Welders
| Autor: | Lei Pei, Meghan Dueck, James Mino, Ata Rafiee, Samineh Kamravaei, Sindhu G. Nair, Bernadette Quémerais |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2020 |
| Předmět: |
business.product_category
Welding Air Pollutants Occupational 010501 environmental sciences Welding fume Health outcomes 01 natural sciences Risk Assessment law.invention Gas metal arc welding 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine law Occupational Exposure Humans Respirator 0105 earth and related environmental sciences Inhalation Exposure Health risk assessment Metal Workers Metallurgy technology industry and agriculture Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health 030210 environmental & occupational health Environmental science Arc welding business |
| Zdroj: | Annals of work exposures and health. 65(7) |
| ISSN: | 2398-7316 |
| Popis: | Welding fumes vary in composition depending on the materials and processes used, and while health outcomes in full-time welders have been widely studied, limited research on apprentices exists. Besides, few data are available for metals such as vanadium and antimony. This study aimed to look at individual metals present in welding fumes in the learning environment of apprentice welders. Forty-three welders and 41 controls were chosen from trade programmes at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Ambient and personal air samples were collected at days 0, 1, 7, and 50 of their training and analysed for mass and metal concentrations using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Results showed increases in particle and metal concentrations as apprentices progressed throughout their education and that concentrations at day 50 were similar to levels found in the literature for professional welders. Variable concentrations indicate that some individuals may not properly use the local exhaust ventilation system. Other possible explanation for variations are the position of the sampler on the shoulder, the time spent welding and in each welding position, and the skills of the welders. Strong relationships were observed between particle and metal concentrations, suggesting that these relationships could be used to estimate metal exposure in welders from particle exposure. Welding processes were the most important determinant of exposure in apprentice welders, with Metal Core Arc Welding producing the largest particle concentrations followed by oxyacetylene cutting, and Gas Metal Arc Welding. Health risk assessment showed that welder apprentices are at risk for overexposure to manganese, which suggests that professional welders should be monitored for manganese as they are exposed more than apprentices. Training in proper positioning of local exhaust ventilation system and proper use of respirators are recommended in training facilities. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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